


Smoke and Cards

by ARandomRock



Series: The Daily Lives of Ghouls In Debt [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Found Family, GBA Game References, Gen, Kinda Pointless., Smoking, Very light hearted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25433998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ARandomRock/pseuds/ARandomRock
Summary: When someone mentions "Underground thieving ring ran by a cult leader." You'd probably expect a fancier living, or a spooky fantasy dungeon coated with tapestry and chains.In truth, even the upper ring of the Ghouls was as fancy or as organised as the leaning hat stand in the corner. You were lucky if they could even agree on where they sat around a table.The Magician. The Puppet. The Hunter. The Masks. Titles sound spooky when spoken, but, well you won't have a reputation if the word on the street that lighting a cigarette was hard.
Series: The Daily Lives of Ghouls In Debt [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842217





	Smoke and Cards

**Author's Note:**

> General Notes:  
> >An old series from tumblr  
> >Some small details are taken from the GBA games such as 7 Duels to Destiny. Nothing you won't miss  
> >There is one reference to something happens in my Pandora backstory fic on this account.
> 
> Don't take this series seriously.

In media, what existed outside of watching duels on television, the hidden bases of villains were meant to be intricate. Spies would tear out eyeballs of guards to get through layers of security. Their bedrooms would be lavish and cameras spied everywhere. Yet, in an alleyway by an apartment building the illusion had faded away. One by one, the man in a giant purple rove slammed each key into the hole trying to find one that fit. Can of beer in one hand and keyring in the other, teeth gritted with frustration with a swear accompanying every failed attempt. Next to him out of the three men was the only one who lacked a hunched post, holding his top hat out and stroking the pulled back hair.

_“Do you hunt with a beer can in your hand as well?”_

The top hat was replaced and the purple haired man ceased his battle with the keys and pointed them all at the suit. Turning around, he stuck the beer can on the bald head of the third, smaller mostly hunched man and flicked his finger about before returning to the lock. Using both hands to scan through the keys to see where he was, the first key in, clicked the lock and pulled in. The two taller men barreled into the small hideout before the top hat stuck his head and arm otu to retrieve the bald head and beer can.

This was the glamorous life of the Ghouls, each with their own reasons to be stuck in their tiny corner of Battle City. Their common areas were splattered with pithered items, boxes and suitcases that were never unpacked, but what was always unpacked was their winnings. There around the main table the group had gathered under the evening sunshine coming from the glass balcony, each with their own little segment: The Magician placed his hat and blazer on a mannequin seat posing with symbols of an old performer. The Hunter sat sniffing fresh cards and chastising the others for bending the prize; The Masks sat opposite, bickering with retorts of the hunter’s selfishness; and in the corner the puppet stood with the hunter’s cowl over his shoulders. Taking a seat on Rare Hunter’s side of the table, the purple eyebrows of his sharp face bounced at the Magician. 

_“Ayy, Pandora look what my pack managed to dig up, yah night like ‘er an' 'er sister”_

_“_ Rotating the card between his fingers and passing it over, Pandora the Magician took a keen eye to the ladies. Gemini Elf, a semi famous card but a useful one, it strung something in his heart though. Swallowing the feeling he dismissed the card with a hand wave.

_“One-nine, straight drop and a spellcaster. Looks like this was a pure industrial illusions version too. A nice find. I use a pair of the ladies myself...l, my Catherine...”_

_“_ Cut off by his comrade’s scoff at the fact it was a double, the card was tossed back into the pile. Opposite them, the two Masks of the group were combing through the extras, the taller one in the darker half of the mask interjected, to pull the group on track.

 _“It’s been silent on the leisure side...-"_ The Mask of Light picked up the rest; _" The main attraction fish man hasn't arrived yet. Suppose the business side is active?”_

 _“_ The Magician broke with a sign but from his trouser pocket unfurled a list and spread the long receipt over their winnings. Like vultures, the four of them pecked through the list of names and what had been brought and where. They tracked and cross referenced the piles of cards the lower rings had brought from the day's work. Several key big eight star cards where in play now ay more than the opening week, it appeared KaibaCorp was trying to pump some gas in Battle City with a degree of power creep within the cards. Pandora even pointed out that even Gemini-Elf itself was starting to get outed where even normal four-stars could overpower tributes and up. The receipt had showed that this was paying dividends for the economy. Their voices came together to mention a name that was repeated multiple times almost every day:

 _“Espa Roba?..._ ” The Mask of Light started.

 _“...12 visits?”_ The Mask of Darkness finished

 _“That’s more points than the entirety of Motou’s party!_ ” they both finished.

It was the bald man in the corner of the room however who spoke and broke his statue-like stiffness. Just for a mere second his head turned away from the wall and cocked his head.

_“The psychics...are...family.”_

Each of the four heads turned in unison, fanning out in silence watching the puppet’s outburst. When nothing came out further, the heads returned amongst themselves, trying to decipher what this psychic family meant. It was Rare Hunter who took the charge on this, , waving with his phone to the group saying he’ll ask the other ghoul hunters on the lower levels if they’ve come across it. The Masks said back and cleared to log to the side to go through their loot.

_“If he wanted a smoke, he could’ve just said.”_

_“...but a hunter must know his entire pack right?”_

Pandora eyed the pair and there was a pang of pain in his chest about their partnership. Twice now he had slipped up with the memory of the past and every time he felt this itch inside his head, like an insect bite drilling a bit further. Everywhere here had their bondage to the leader, but showing it was a different thing, It was the Mask of Light’s hand lifting his chin up with the Mask of Darkness gesticulating over at the balcony doors that eased the pain. There with cigarette hanging out of his mouth and phone to his studded ear, and hand making some pointing gesture towards Pandora. Surfing through his off-red trousers for a box of matches. Waiving them behind him, Rare Hunter gave a smile then turned away. The Masks laughed and between a pile of cards they were sorting told Pandora to go sort out the addict before he gets grumpy. Watching as the sweet pair of Gemini Elf get piled face down in the garbage pile, the magician resigned himself to dealing with his comrade.

On the balcony outside, Rare Hunter was chatting away at the speed of sound, hanging up then calling again, each time getting progressively more frustrated with each incomplete titbit he could get. Pandora lit the match for him, allowing the hunter to hunch over just a bit more and make several attempts at trying to light the cigarette before snatching the matches wholesale and attempting again. Amused at the show and the swearing, Pandora took the breeze on his hair as a fresher from the card shop and his own sector of the city.

Down below the city was pretty active, a coed had seemingly crowded around some performers on the street. Dressed up like several monsters, they bounced about telling stories of the previous tournaments. One suh mascot in an oversized big head version of Pandora’s own signature card waved his arms around dramatically, and it made Pandora pop just the tiniest of smiles beneath his mask. Interrupted by a dead match being flung off the side of the railing in his field of vision, Rare Hunter pocketed his phone.

_“So many damn street performers everywhere! Turns out there’s a family all using the same name. Looks like they make more with psychic stuff than our human statue does.”_

Pandora adjusted his waistcoat and collar and while he verbally agreed, his heart was elated that still with all of KaibaCorp’s theatrical holograms, the traditional entertainers were still thriving in the city. 

_“Seems like you are more mad at missing out on a hunt, my friend.”_

The magician offered a hand to shield the wind, half laughing at the struggle the younger man had to light his cigarette. Twirling the matchbox though his fingers back to the Magician, took several deep puffs and tapped the ash over the crowd below. Watching the duel monster costumes bounce about, Rare Hunter’s head flopped down with a laugh, giggling to himself enough that he had to pass the cigarette over to the magician. 

_“You ever think they’ll recreate us after it’s all done?”_

_“_ The Magician popped up his mask just slightly and took a much more gentle puff, making a lazy noise in response, the purple-haired gesticulated hard with his fingers on the railing. So far into his idea while watching the Dark Magician mascot dance with a small kid, the Hunter considered perhaps getting himself a signature card he’d be known for.

_“Like there's gonna be people in Master Marik’s cape prancin’ about. Like they are gonna be ridin’ around on horses’n’bikes throwing pretends cards at each other.”_

_“_ Pandora’s eye cocked up enough at that it disappeared in the propped up mask. Taking another dutch courage puff, passed the cigarette back.

_I" imagine Master Marik’s cape would be a safety hazard with a hoof or wheel.”_

The pair leaned over the balcony watching the parading and pulling about below passing the cigarette back and forth. After several exchanges and watching Pandora pop his mask up and down, Rare twisted his head down and tried to look up the mask but caught with a sharp eye, the cigarette butt was flicked off the side and the mask was replaced. 

“Oh c’mon. Tell me why you never take it off. Dark and Light do!”

Looking up at the Magician’s stripped fancy mask, eyes trying to peek around it’S curled tips. Giving a sigh back, Pandora popped the clasps at the side of his mask. Raising it more than a few inches up, the giddy hunter stuck half his face up at the reveal before pulling back instantly.

_“For the love of cards, that’s worse than a dog’s asshole!”_

Opening the box of cigarettes out of his pocket to distract himself with, Rare Hunter gave himself a solid breather before crushing the empty box. The Magician gave a smirk and reaching behind Rare Hunter’s terrified face, produced a cigarette from behind his ear.

_“Like I said before, health and safety is important as an entertainer.”_

With one hand feeling the back of his head and another taking the cigarette, the wide-eyed Rare Hunter huddled to the side to lit it. Focusing on puffing the cigarette in harsh breathes, he didn’t notice Pandora ceasing to lean and turn around. This man would be fine listening to Master Marik through the mouth of another man, but the idea of a psychic duellist was too fat fetched? 

“Speaking of supernatural entertainers, you have awoken, Pantomimer, or is Master Marik on the line?”

Rare Hunter flung his hand up with the cigarette and refused to turn around, claiming he wasn’t dealing with any more burn wounds or studded flesh for at least another couple of hours. The puppet of the group arose into a smile and spoke through the same broken voice of their leader. Giving them instructions to head towards the kaiba corp announcement for the closure of the week updates. Pandora untied the back of his pony tail and with hair band between teeth to keep a poker face, but with a lax posture against the railing giving his disdain away. Next to him, this order had pricked up the ears (and hair) of the Rare Hunter who wondered how many cars he could swip from dueling belts and boxes hanging out of pockets. Yet his head then swiftly sagged back down with his body over the edge when their boss’s voice finished with:

_“...and take the puppet with you.”_

Pantominer ‘s head rolled around before his eyes blinked a couple times before he gave a wave to the pair and went to collect a messenger bag from his favourite corner of the common room. The Magician whipped his ponytail tight and behind him before dragging the collar of the Hunter up.

_“A hunt during sundown. It’s almost pleasantly dramatic.”_

As Pandora left the balcony, Rare Hunter tossed the empty box into the crowd below, puffing the end of the cigarette that the magician tricked him with, examined the butt.

_“I hunt with vicious hounds, not a jester an’ a toy. An’ yah wonder why I need four’y a day”_

  
  
  



End file.
